This application relates to portable electronic devices and non-electronic articles, and more particularly to a bar code scanner and communications module for use with such devices and articles.
Various optical readers and scanning systems have been developed for reading bar code symbols appearing on a label or surface of an article, generally, a bar code symbol is a dataform having a coded pattern of indicia comprising a series of bars of various widths separated by spaces of various widths and the bars and spaces having differing light reflecting characteristics. The bar code scanning system electro-optically transforms the graphic indicia of the data form into electrical signals and decodes these signals into alphanumeric characters that provide some information about the article. The alphanumeric characters are represented by digital data which is used as an input to processing systems associated with applications, such as point of sale and inventory control systems. Scanning systems of this general type are well known in the art and have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,387,297, 4,409,470 and 4,460,120, all assigned to the assignee of the present application.
A scanning system of this type generally includes a hand held laser scanner configured to enable a user to aim it a bar code pattern and emit a beam of light. The light beam is optically modified to form a beam spot of a certain size at a target distance. The bar code scanning system also typically includes a sensor, such as a photodetector, that detects light reflected back from the bar code pattern. The photodetector can be positioned in the scanner such that it has a field of view which extends across and slightly past a symbol within the pattern and a portion of the light that is reflected off the symbol is acquired and converted into an electrical signal. A bar code scanning system of this type can be either retroreflective, that is, the outgoing light and the incoming light share a common path with regard to a scanning element, or non-retroreflective.
After the reflected light is converted into an electrical signal, signal processing circuitry or software converts the electrical signal into a digital representation of the data contained in the bar code. This data is then decoded into a desired format.
Currently, many portable electronic products, such as personal digital systems, cellular telephones, computer terminals, do not have bar code scanners included as one of their peripheral devices. Moreover, non-electronic products, such as writing instruments, rings and the like do not include bar code scanners as an integral part thereof. The reason for this is lack of space on such devices for an independent bar code scanning module. If, however, a bar code scanner could be integrated along side existing peripheral circuitry or integrated within a device without substantial size or weight thereto, the functionality of the portable electronic device or portable article could be advantageously increased.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an integrated communication and bar code scanning module for portable electronic devices and portable articles.